A message from GCEF's board chair: Our grantmaking process
Happy December to everyone! The holidays are fast approaching, which means the Sugar Plum Tour is almost upon us! We have another wonderful group of homes to showcase for the holidays, and we can't wait to share them with you! There is still time to get your Patron Party tickets or buy tickets for friends and family to enjoy five festively decorated homes on Sunday, Dec. 7, from 12-5 p.m. I hope to see you there!
One of the best things about being a board member of the Gay Community Endowment Fund is taking part in our annual grantmaking process. We are a grantmaking fund, which means we raise money to give it to local organizations doing extraordinary work in service of our LGBTQ+ community. Our grant cycle opened on Nov. 15, when we began receiving grant applications, and will close on Dec. 15. Our board begins grant application review in January, and to me, this is the best part: Our board members will choose potential grantees and go out into the community and meet with them to learn more about their projects. It is a privilege to spend time with such hardworking and dedicated servants who are changing lives for the better every day.
One of the hardest things about being a board member is deciding where to allocate our limited grant money. There is always a large gap between our grant requests and available funds, and it is beyond challenging to turn down promising projects. To illustrate, last year we received $225,000 in grant requests and had only $80,000 in available funds to award. And the need grows every year, especially now that so much federal funding has been cut from these vital organizations. Every dollar we raise for GCEF — every Sugar Plum Tour sponsorship and ticket, every donation we receive — helps close the gap between what is needed in our community and what we have to give.
As we approach our 25th anniversary as a fund next year, our goal is to increase our endowment by 25%. And while we are well on our way, there has never been a greater need for funding in our community. I hope you will consider GCEF in your end-of-year giving plans, and more than this, I would love for you to consider joining our Circle of Inclusion to become a sustaining donor to our cause. Together, we can stand up for and build the world we all envision.
Peace to all,
Dr. Kate Raymond
Chair, Gay Community Endowment Fund